Hyper-V

How to Export Import Virtual Machines in Hyper-V

Export Import Virtual Machine. In this guide, I am going to clone Virtual Machines refers to creating another copy of the existing virtual machines. An export virtual machine is a very valuable feature from a distribution standpoint of view, which permits a system to be copied & duplicated without the need to perform the installation again. In additional, the clone virtual machines also conserve the current system & apps environment in production.

Export Virtual Machine

1- Before exporting a VM, you may need to prepare the source VM with the Sysprep utility to reset & remove the unique security identifier (SID) for the VM. And avoid such as two computers have the same IP address or two computers have the same name. Right click the existing VM in Hyper-V manager console and then select export.

hyper-v manager export
Right-click the existing image and select export

2- Click on Browse button to select a location where you want to save the exported VM.

export virtual machine location
Specify the location to save virtual machine

3- Avoid selecting the same location as the .vhd file (virtual hard disk file) for the existing VM.
I already have a directory name export.

windows explorer

4- Click export

export virtual machine location

Import Virtual Machine

5- After exporting the VM, Right-click on Hyper-V Server and then select Import Virtual Machine.

hyper-v manager import
Choose import virtual machine option in hyper-v console

6- Import virtual machine wizard, click next

import virtual machine wizard

7- Click the browse button to specify the location where you saved the files during export.

import virtual machine locate folder

8- Select folder

windows explorer

9- Select next

import virtual machine locate folder
Specify the location where VM was exported

10- Choose the virtual machine to import and then click next.

select virtual machine to import

11- Select the import type would not like to interfere with existing VMs and then click next.

choose import type hyper v
Select import type as copy virtual machine

12- Select folder location to store the virtual machines configuration files. You can leave it as default as Hyper-V will create a unique ID for the cloned VM and click Next.

choose destination for virtual machine
Specify path for clone VM configuration files

13- Select the location to store the virtual machine’s file (.vhdx files). Here you should specify a folder location that is different from virtual hard disks of source virtual machine and click next.

import vm location storage folder
Specify path for clone virtual machine files

14- Review the import virtual machine summary and then click finish.

import virtual machine summary
Review the summary shown in the import wizard

15- It may take some time to complete the import process depending upon the size of the existing virtual machine.

import virtual machine copying

For more details please visit Microsoft

Jamil Parvez

Jamil Pervez works as a Network Administrator, based in Kuwait with a Primary focus on Microsoft technologies. Microsoft Certified MCSE, MCTP, MCITP, CCNP, CCIP, CCVP with 20 years of experience in administering Windows Servers, Exchange, VMWare, Veeam B&R, Veritas BackupExec.

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